GTA: San Andreas recieves new rating after Senate controversy

[Initech]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/20/news_6129500.html

Following an investigation, ESRB slaps dreaded 18-and-over rating on controversy-racked best-seller; Take-Two lowers guidance, still blames "unauthorized third party modification."

After percolating for weeks, the Hot Coffee controversy has finally boiled over. Today, Take-Two Interactive announced that as the result of an investigation by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will now bear an AO for Adults Only rating. Previously, the game was rated M for Mature.

The re-rating comes nearly a month after the first reports surfaced of the so-called "Hot Coffee" mod for the PC version of San Andreas. After being installed, the widely available mod lets users play a bonus sex minigame as a reward for completing the numerous "girlfriend" missions in San Andreas.

After video of the mod was widely circulated, such figures as ardent anti-game activist Jack Thompson and US Senator Hilary Clinton blasted the game. Clinton went as far as to publicly equate violent games with cigarettes and alcohol as a hazard to America's youth. In turn, political heat caused the ESRB to launch the aforementioned investigation, which looked into whether the mod was included in the original game or was made by a third party.

<snip>

"The ESRB's decision to re-rate a game based on an unauthorized third party modification presents a new challenge for parents, the interactive entertainment industry and anyone who distributes or consumes digital content," Eibler continued. "Rockstar Games is pleased that the investigation is now settled and they look forward to returning their focus to making innovative and groundbreaking video games for a mature audience."

[NNguyenMD]

1. Hillary and the senate just helped sky-rocket GTA sales

every older brother and uncle in America is going to be prodedd to buy this game by the little brothers and nephews of America

They'll get access to this game for the same reason why 99.9% of teenage boys have viewed pornographic material before the age of 18. And its going to be as popular as ever because now its the "forbidden game" syndrome that'll be fueling GTA sales.

If I were Rock Star Games, I would milk this for what its worth, and push on how its for mature audiences only.

[pfitz59]

2. They didn't rate it for the crime and violence.....

IT'S THE SEX, STUPID!

[Initech]

3. Just like the Janet Jackson controversy, right?

It doesnt have anything to do with violence as long as there's sex involved, right?

[NNguyenMD]

4. MIke Malloy said it best when he calls Repubs sex obsessed psychos

[OrlandoGator]

5. Too bad it's the Democrats pushing this.

n/t

[Spider Jerusalem]

8. Has been for a while, though; Lieberman, for instance...

and we can't forget Tipper, either; Democrats are just as zealous in promoting censorship, and their justification is always the same: "We must protect our children!"

Which is bollocks, if you ask me; whioring for the "moral values" vote, while telling parents "the government needs to make these decisions for your children, because we don't trust YOU to".

[NNguyenMD]

12. I know I was going to say, it sucks this comes from the "frontrunner"

My vote goes to Clark in the primary though I've already decided if the General decides to run again.

[Initech]

6. They pretty much are sex-obsessed psychos.

Although I'd say they're more like REPRESSED sex-obsessed psychos.

[Spider Jerusalem]

7. Said it before, I'll say it again: Hillary is a fucking idiot.

This is a pretty stupid decision on the part of the ESRB, too. Rockstar can't be held responsible for the actions of the gaming community in creating modifications.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. No but the ESRB can be hold responsible

for stores not enforcing the rules, which is part of the problem and the free ammo

[Spider Jerusalem]

11. Stores not enforcing which rules?

Not selling to underage people? You ALREADY couldn't buy the game without presenting ID; this re-rating seems needless.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I have seen it plenty of times

kids walknig out with copy, who were not possbly 17... fourteen maybe, butnot 17

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. Can't hold the ESRB responsible for that.

That's like blaming the MPAA because a 14-year-old gets into an R-rated film.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. You are right I should not, I should call the cops then

Look there are ways to enforce the rules and it starts at the top...

There is this thing called leadership by example... and they fought it for years, when they had no choice they formed it... but there is this wing and a nod about not enforcing rules at all times... maybe this will finally get the member stores to ahem ENFORCE the rules.

[Spider Jerusalem]

19. Maybe you should find better things to worry about.

The ESRB can't ensure that every store verifies the age of people who want to buy an age-restricted game. TO think otherwise is ridiculous. And how many teenagers have you seen getting into R-rated films wothout giving proof of age? Same rules apply.

[Stirk]

10. Oh- this must be why they haven't gotten around to the illegal war yet.

Thank god they're all over the video games.

Fucking idiots.

[Initech]

15. I was thinking the same thing

What's more important - violent video games or Commander Cuckoobanana's game of middle-eastern whack-a-mole?

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Well this is important (and so easy to solvei it does not need

government intervention, as long as people realize what needs to be done), but you have to admit it, this earns the usual suspects brownie points with the so called moral majority....

As is tehre are things they should be paying far more attention to (medical research anyone, the war ) but this is good one stop pacakge and we can take that away fairly easily...

[sonicx]

17. Um, don't you have to go on the internet to get the nudity mod?

Kids can't see tits in a $50 video game? They'll go to google to see real ones for free.

Either way, it's up to parents to stop them.

[pstokely]

20. how do you access this in the PS2 version?

[Spider Jerusalem]

21. You can't; I think you can in the XBox version w/mod chip. (n/t)

[charlie]

23. You need one of those cheat doodads

like Action Replay, and some codes circulating on the net:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/15/news_6129301.html

[GiovanniC]

22. Okay, For Those of You Just Joining Us... A Recap

Bashing a woman's head in with a baseball bat and stealing her money: OKAY!

Mowing down a bum with a delivery van: COOL BY US!

Setting police officers on fire with a flamethrower: ROCK ON!

Sex: HOLY FUCK, SHIELD THE CHILDREN'S FRAGILE INNOCENT EYES!